Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase Preview

Published on: 14/03/2016

Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase Preview

March 15, 2016 16:50pm - Cheltenham

Cheltenham Festival

The last race of the opening day sees a competitive handicap line-up with plenty of horses in the running at the top end of the betting market.

Aloomomo is currently attracting the most interest, with the Warren Greatrex-trained horse having shown some glimpses of form over the last year. However, he was lacking in the finals stages in his last race against strong opposition and may not favour the left-handed track.

Willow`s Saviour has won all but one of his runs under trainer Dan Skelton, and that record includes a couple of class 1 races. He should also prove a popular choice with punters who have a keen eye for form.

Behind these two, there are a group of horses who could all feature in what is a wide open race. Of that group, Domesday Book is perhaps the most intriguing contender in the Each-Way market. The youngster has shown steady improvement and may just have enough to grab a place. In previous outings, heavy going has often caused him to fade but that should not be an issue this time round.

Betting odds and tips

With the withdrawal of Killer Crow and Thomas Crapper, Aloomomo now looks like the sensible choice to win this one and can be backed at 6/1 with Bet365.

In the Each-Way market, Domesday Book could be worth a small wager and should be available at around 20/1 or higher.

Remember, Bet365 are offering guaranteed best odds on all Cheltenham races and a 100% deposit bonus up to £200 for new accounts.

Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase - Last three years:

2013: Rajdhani Express (6) - Mr Sam Waley-Cohen (Nicky Henderson)

2014: Present View (6) - Brendan Powell jnr (Jamie Snowden)

2015: Irish Cavalier (6) - Paul Townend (Rebecca Curtis)

By Neil Morris

Published on: 14/03/2016

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (14/03/2016 17:36:48) but are subject to change.